The Cannes Film Festival, a prestigious annual event in the global cinematic calendar, presents attendees with a unique paradox: an unparalleled privilege to witness groundbreaking cinema alongside the intense demands of a non-stop schedule. For industry professionals, it is a veritable gauntlet, a marathon of back-to-back screenings, networking engagements, and critical analysis. This year, amid the palpable energy and demanding pace, a representative from the Asia Society, a global organization dedicated to fostering mutual understanding between Asia and the world, embarked on a mission to identify new releases and significant repertory films suitable for exhibition at its 258-seat theater located within its New York museum building. The objective extends beyond mere film acquisition; it encompasses a broader commitment to cultural exchange and the presentation of diverse narratives to an American audience.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘All of a Sudden’: A Profound Exploration of Care
Among the most anticipated films of the festival was Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, a French-Japanese co-production that did not merely meet expectations but arguably surpassed them. Hamaguchi, a director whose previous works like Drive My Car (an Academy Award winner for Best International Feature Film in 2022) and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy have garnered international acclaim for their intricate narratives and profound character studies, continues his exploration of human connection and societal structures in this latest offering. The film centers on the evolving, intimate friendship between Marie-Louise (portrayed by French actress Virginie Efira), the director of a senior care facility in the Parisian suburbs, and Mari (played by Japanese theater director Tao Okamoto), a Japanese theater director.
The narrative deftly intertwines two distinct yet thematically resonant approaches to the concept of "care." Marie-Louise is depicted as a dedicated workaholic, tirelessly striving to implement a new care protocol known as Humanitude within her facility. Humanitude is a real-world, patient-centered methodology designed to instruct care workers in providing enhanced individual attention and fostering dignity for each resident. Concurrently, Mari is engaged in staging an experimental theatrical production that delves into the life and philosophy of Franco Basaglia, a revolutionary Italian psychiatrist. Basaglia is historically renowned for his pioneering work in the 1970s that led to the abolition of "mancomio," or traditional psychiatric asylums, in Italy, advocating for community-based mental health care.
This dual thesis—examining care at both an institutional and a philosophical level—is brought to life by the compelling chemistry between Efira and Okamoto. Their performances anchor an extraordinarily life-affirming cinematic experience spanning three and a half hours. The film’s core strength lies in the profoundly earnest dialogue exchanged between the two women, which traverses a wide spectrum of topics, from their personal histories and the philosophical implications of chance to the pervasive effects of capitalism on their respective professions and the wider world. Despite their nearly identical names, Marie-Louise and Mari function as both friends and foils. Marie-Louise operates within the complex, often bureaucratic framework of an institution, while Mari engages with care on a more intimate, artistic, and philosophical plane. Their eventual collaboration within the film symbolizes a powerful convergence, advancing both their individual ideals and offering a nuanced perspective on the multifaceted nature of human compassion and societal responsibility.
The Legacy of Franco Basaglia and the Contradictions of Care
The thematic depth of All of a Sudden notably sparked a heightened interest in the figure of Franco Basaglia, whose work fundamentally reshaped mental health care in Italy and influenced reforms globally. Basaglia’s radical approach challenged the very foundations of institutional psychiatry, advocating for the closure of large, often dehumanizing asylums in favor of more humane, community-integrated care models. His insights remain highly pertinent in contemporary discussions surrounding health care, particularly concerning the ethical and practical challenges of providing compassionate care within profit-driven systems.
A relevant quote from John Foot’s biography, The Man Who Closed the Asylums: Franco Basaglia and the Revolution in Mental Health Care, elucidates the film’s central themes, particularly through Marie-Louise’s efforts to reform her for-profit care facility: "As long as we are within a system our situation will remain contradictory: the institution is managed and denied at the same time, illness is ‘put into brackets’ and cured, therapeutic acts are refused and carried out…We are destined to inhabit the contradictions of the system, managing an institution which we deny." This profound statement encapsulates Marie-Louise’s struggle, as she endeavors to "create possibility from impossibility" while operating under the constraints of a capitalist structure. Basaglia himself faced similar contradictions during his tenure as an asylum director before embarking on the radical path of total institutional abolition. His work highlights the perennial tension between systemic imperatives and the humanistic goals of care, a tension deftly explored in Hamaguchi’s film. The film’s exploration of these themes provides a critical lens through which to examine current global debates on healthcare reform, the ethics of care, and the balance between efficiency and humanity in institutional settings.
‘The Devils’ Restoration: Resurrecting a Controversial Masterpiece
Beyond the contemporary offerings, the festival also provided opportunities for engagement with cinematic history, particularly through meticulously restored classics. A notable instance was the screening of Ken Russell’s bombastic, newly restored, and extended original cut of The Devils. This 1971 British historical drama, renowned for its controversial depiction of religious fanaticism and sexual repression, transforms a 17th-century French convent into a chilling allegory for an asylum. The narrative unfolds as a group of nuns claim to be possessed by devils, ostensibly at the instigation of Father Urbain Grandier, a dashing and charismatic priest portrayed with virile intensity by Oliver Reed.
The significance of this particular screening lies in its meticulous restoration by Warner Brothers’ new Clockwork label, which has reintegrated six minutes of footage deemed too obscene for public release upon the film’s initial debut in both Britain and the USA. Mark Kermode, a prominent British film critic, introduced the screening, recounting his discovery of the missing footage two decades prior while producing a documentary on the film. He affirmed the late filmmaker Ken Russell’s fervent wish to see the complete, unexpurgated version realized. This restoration not only honors Russell’s original artistic vision but also offers contemporary audiences a chance to experience the film as intended, free from the censorial pressures of its time.
Ken Russell’s films, known for their flamboyant style, historical settings, and often provocative content, challenged conventional notions of period dramas. The Devils, based on Aldous Huxley’s non-fiction book The Devils of Loudun, is a prime example of how Russell infused historical narratives with thrilling, visceral energy. The film’s most compelling aspect remains its powerhouse performances, particularly Vanessa Redgrave’s portrayal of the writhing Mother Superior, which more than matches Reed’s intense verve. Crucially, The Devils resonates with thematic parallels to All of a Sudden through its scathing critique of institutional contradictions and hypocrisies, in this case, those embedded within the 17th-century Catholic Church. Its reintroduction in 2026, in its complete form, is particularly timely, inviting new audiences to grapple with its enduring themes of power, corruption, and societal control, which remain disturbingly relevant in contemporary discourse. The restoration project itself underscores the increasing importance of film preservation efforts, ensuring that historically significant works are maintained and made accessible for future generations, often shedding new light on their original intent and cultural impact.
Cannes as a Nexus for Global Cinema and Cultural Exchange
The Cannes Film Festival, beyond its competitive selections, serves as a vital marketplace and a unique platform for cultural diplomacy. The Village International, a section of waterside tents housing various international film institutions, exemplifies this role. It is within this dynamic environment that Tuesday evening saw a performance by Sol Band at the Palestine Pavilion. This joyous musical interlude provided a welcome respite from the rigorous schedule of back-to-back screenings and industry meetings. Such cultural events underscore the festival’s broader mandate to foster international collaboration and understanding, transcending mere film screenings to encompass a wider celebration of global arts and culture. The presence of the Palestine Pavilion, alongside numerous other national and regional cinematic bodies, highlights Cannes’ role as a microcosm of global cultural exchange, where diverse voices and artistic expressions converge.
The festival’s comprehensive scope ensures that attendees, particularly those like the Asia Society representative, are exposed to a vast array of cinematic talent and emerging narratives from across the globe. As the festival approached its homestretch, several other films warranted particular attention, signaling potential future highlights for global audiences and institutions like the Asia Society. These include 9 Temples to Heaven, the moving feature debut by Sompot Chidgasornpongse, a longtime assistant director to the acclaimed Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Chidgasornpongse’s work, influenced by Weerasethakul’s distinctive meditative and surreal style, promises a fresh voice in Southeast Asian cinema.
Also on the radar was Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s eye-popping samurai epic The Samurai and the Prisoner. Kurosawa, known for his masterful thrillers and horror films, ventures into historical drama with a distinctive visual flair. From South Korea, Na Hong-jin’s outrageous monster movie Hope further showcased the country’s continued prowess in genre filmmaking, promising a visceral and thought-provoking experience. Finally, Clarissa, a clever and sumptuous adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway by the directorial duo Arie and Chuko Esiri, pointed to the enduring appeal of literary adaptations handled with innovative cinematic vision.
These diverse selections, ranging from philosophical dramas to historical epics and genre-bending thrillers, collectively underscore the vibrant and ever-evolving landscape of global cinema showcased at Cannes. For organizations like the Asia Society, identifying such films is crucial for fulfilling their mission of enriching cultural dialogue and providing audiences with access to the finest international storytelling. The festival, despite its demanding pace, ultimately serves as an indispensable crucible for discovering, celebrating, and disseminating cinematic art that deepens understanding across borders and cultures.
